The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
by Gijinka Renamon
Summary: A novelized version of the comic The Legend of Zelda A Link to the Past. This takes a long time to do, so be patient.
1. Hero's Awakening

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past-The Novelized Version  
  
Disclaimer: I'm only saying this once, I do not own the game (or the comic,) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. (I wish I did though.) If you want to see the comic, you can check it out at www.Zeldago.com You got it? Good! Now on with the fic! *Blah * - Thoughts  
  
{Blah} - Telepathy  
  
(Blah)- Author's Notes  
  
Chapter 1: Hero's Awakening  
  
For centuries, the land of Hyrule has enjoyed peace. But that fragile calm is about to be shattered. For an abominable evil sealed away for centuries is about to be awakened by a sinister servant of darkness.  
  
Krakoom! A bolt of lighting flashed across the sky, illuminating everything under it. One of these things was a small cabin, on top of a hill. Inside, a young boy slept restlessly. Then, a voice cut through his mind.  
  
{"Link, help me! I'm being held prisoner in the castle."}  
  
The boy sat up. "That dream, so real..." he mused. Suddenly, it came again.  
  
{"Help me! My name is Zelda."}  
  
"Am I hearing things?" the boy gasped. "Am I under a spell? Am I going crazy?"  
  
{No,} The Voice replied. {I am the King's daughter Zelda. I am Communicating through telepathy}  
  
The boy jumped out of bed, and looked at the bed that was next to him. "Uncle!? Where are you? Where did he go?"  
  
{"Please Link! I believe you are the only one who can the people of Hyrule!"}  
  
"That's strange," The boy mused. "She even knows my name!"  
  
{"Any further delay may prove disastrous! Hurry!"}  
  
"But how will I find you?"  
  
The boy quickly got dressed in an orange shirt, green tunic, and boots. Quickly, he pushed the door open, and ran out into a raging storm. "What a night!" He exclaimed.  
  
{This way.Link!"}  
  
Link kept on running, until he came to a giant castle. {In here!} Zelda's voice urged Link. {"Be wary of the castle guards! Agahnim controls them with his magic!"} Zelda's voice warned him.  
  
"I don't see any." Began Link, but a spear cut him short. "Yikes!" He ducked out of the way just in time to avoid getting cut down by the guards. "Thanks for the warning!" He shouted as he ran down a passageway.  
  
"Which way to go?" As he ran through the halls of the castle, Link heard the sounds of metal striking metal. "What's that?" he asked. As he peered around a corner, he saw two people sword fighting. One was a man dressed in a red cloak with glowing yellow eyes. The other was a man with dark hair and a mustache. "UNCLE!" Gasped Link.  
  
"You make have struck your final blow puny fool!" shouted Agahnim as his sword glowed with an unearthly blue light as he struck a blow across the man's chest.  
  
"AAAGGGHHH!!!" Screamed the man as he fell to the ground.  
  
"Remember this fool. anyone who challenges me shall meet their doom!" bellowed Agahnim. Then, laughing evilly, he turned and strode down the halls. When he was gone, Link slowly made his way over to the man. "Uncle?" he whispered. "Are you.?" The man groaned and pushed himself up by his elbows.  
  
"Link.what are you doing here?" he groaned.  
  
"It was Zelda! She summoned me through telepathy!" Link answered.  
  
"Zelda, eh? So you heard her too? Very well.take my sword and shield. The princess. you must save her."  
  
"Huh?" asked Link.  
  
"After you rescue Zelda and the people in the Dark World."his uncle continued. ".You may meet your parents."  
  
"What?! That's not possible! They're dead!" Link gasped. "Uncle. why? What is happening?" His uncle gave another groaned and laid still. Link felt the tears course down his face. Then Zelda's voice told him:  
  
{"There is no time to grieve now! You must hurry onward!"}  
  
Meanwhile, Aghanim was addressing a crowd of monsters. "It appears that Zelda was able to summon help with her telepathic powers." He said. "If we do not act soon, more fools will rush to help their precious princess! Bring Zelda to me at once! The final enchantment must be cast immediately!"  
  
Meanwhile, Link searched the castle, while Zelda explained everything to him. {Agahnim is planning to use the life force of seven maidens to open the seal of the seven wise men!} She said.  
  
"Seven wise men? Seal? I've never heard of these things." said Link. {Long ago, many people entered the golden land in search of the mighty golden power that was said to hidden there, but no one ever returned.} Explained Zelda. {Then one day, an evil power began flowing from the entrance! So the king chose seven wise men to close the gate to the golden land forever! But now, Agahnim is going to open the gate the golden land by using our life energy!}  
  
"OUR life force? So are you one of the seven maidens? That's terrible!" Exclaimed Link. Suddenly, a voice boomed out,  
  
"WHO GOES THERE?" Then, a huge knight in black armor appeared in front of him.  
  
"I came to save princess Zelda!" said Link boldly.  
  
"Foolish welp!" boomed the knight. "It is YOU who needs saving!" and with that, he slashed at Link, who blocked the blow with his shield. "You and the princess will be together soon enough!" he growled, swinging the sword at Link, who quickly ducked to avoid it. As the knight lunged towards him, Link jumped out of the way and got behind the knight, and inserted the sword in the knight's armor. "Now." he said, ".Lead me to the dungeon, WHAT?" Suddenly, beams of light began shooting out of the armor, and it crumbled into a pile.  
  
{"Link!} Exclaimed Zelda. {Concentrate! I will guide you! Trust your feelings, and you will find me!"}  
  
"It's working!" exclaimed Link. I'm coming Zelda, hold on!" Link traveled through the castle, not seeing anyone. Then suddenly, there was a scream.  
  
{"AAAIIIEEEE!!! Link, hurry, they're taking me away!"} Zelda's voice was urgent. Peering around a corner, Link saw two armored guards escorting a beautiful young girl with long blond hair and blue eyes wearing a blue dress. (A.N: Three guesses who that is! -_~) Link confronted the guards, knocking them down.  
  
"Princess Zelda!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Link!" The girl shouted.  
  
"This way!" shouted Link, grabbing her hand a pulling her down the corridor.  
  
"HALT!" Shouted a guard, but they found that there was no one there.  
  
"We must escape and make our way to the sanctuary! The old man there will help us!" Said the princess.  
  
* If we escape that is! * Link thought.  
  
The passage way soon came to an end. "There's no way out! It's a dead end!" Exclaimed Link. He turned to see a lantern flicker on all by itself. When Zelda picked it up, A secret door in the wall opened. * Maybe a little optimism isn't such a bad idea! * He thought. As they walked through the rat-infested tunnels, Link asked, "If you knew about this secret passage, then why didn't you tell me sooner?"  
  
"I didn't know!" replied Zelda. "This castle was built long ago! No one remembers all of its secrets!" Later at the sanctuary.  
  
"I see! Your telepathy is no use against Agahnim!" Link and Zelda were sitting at the table wearing towels and drinking hot soup.  
  
"I overheard him talking about using my life force to finally open the seal of the seven wise men!" Said Zelda.  
  
"Yes, and were he successful, the master of evil would marshal his forces against this world again!" Exclaimed the old man.  
  
"All I know is that monster Agahnim killed my uncle!" Interrupted Link. "I've got to bring him to justice somehow!"  
  
"Link," said Zelda softly," I feel that you are.you MUST be.the legendary hero who appears in Hyrule every hundred years.You are the sole protector of this land! I feel for sure that you can foil Agahnim's plot!" (A.N: You just HAVE to see Link's expression when she says that! It is SO funny!!!)  
  
"Link? If you are going to battle the wizard Agahnim, do not under estimate him!" Said the old man. "I sense a powerful evil force is guiding his actions." Suddenly, the room began to shake. One of the walls fell to the ground. "What!? He is coming! I sense his evil presence!"  
  
"Agahnim!" Shouted Link, as the evil wizard entered the room.  
  
"Princess Zelda, come back to the castle quietly even if you run to the ends of Hyrule, you will not escape me!" He shouted  
  
"I'll never let you take her!" Shouted Link jumping in front of her. Agahnim started to laugh loudly and cruelly.  
  
"Not so long ago, another foolish warrior lost his life spouting similar nonsense!" Well, that was the last straw for Link.  
  
"Why you-! That was my uncle!" shouted Link charging at Agahnim Lighting surrounded Agahnim, as he blasted Link.  
  
"You are as weak as you are impetuous!" He scoffed. As light jumped from his fingers, he announced: "I will make you feel fear like you have never known!" The bolts of lighting threw Link to the ground and shattered his sword. Then, cackling evilly, the evil wizard grabbed Princess Zelda.  
  
"Princess!" shouted the old man.  
  
"Zelda!" exclaimed Link.  
  
{It's no use fighting Agahnim with an ordinary sword!} Zelda told him telepathically. {You need the legendary Master Sword of the past!} As Agahnim carried her away, Zelda called out: {don't worry about me! Find the master sword! Link-it's up to you alone!}  
  
"ZELDA!" Shouted Link, RUNNING OUT INTO THE STORM. "There's just one thing, the master sword! WHERE IS IT!"  
  
Well, that's it. What do you think? Please R & R! 


	2. Wise Man's Warnings

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past -the Novelized Version  
  
Chapter 2: Wise Man's Warnings  
  
Heeding the telepathic summons of princess Zelda, the young warrior, Link, bravely stormed Hyrule castle and rescued her from the clutches of the evil wizard Agahnim. Link's heroic efforts to defend her were futile, however, as the wizard soon found and recaptured her. Now, Link searches for the only weapon powerful enough to defeat his foe. Agahnim, posing as the King, has placed a price on Link's head . . .  
  
As the sun rose over Hyrule, a group of dark knights rode out from Hyrule Castle. Every now and then, they would throw a sign to the ground. On the sign were a picture of Link, and a note:  
  
WANTED FOR KIDNAPPING. LARGE REWARD. -The King  
  
Meanwhile, a cart full of hay was travelling down the road towards one of these signs. The person driving the cart stopped the horse pulling it, looked at the sign, then whispered, "Link, take a look at this sign . . ." Link poked his head out of the hay and glanced at it.  
  
"Hmm . . .'Wanted for kidnapping? Large reward?' This is more serious then I thought!" he exclaimed. Later the horse-drawn wagon pulled into a town, then stopped. "Thanks for your help!" exclaimed Link.  
  
"Don't mention it," replied the man. "With the King going over to the Dark Side, I have no reason to turn you in . . ."  
  
Later, Link was in a house with an old man who was showing him a map.  
  
"This marks the location of Sahasraha the Elder's House," he said. He is a descendant of one of the seven wise men who sealed the golden land long ago. I am certain HE can tell you more of the Master Sword."  
  
"And with the Master Sword, I can beat Agahnim, right?" asked Link hopefully.  
  
"That's a question for Sahasraha," replied the man. "My advice is that you find him before the Wizard's men find YOU!"  
  
Soon, Link was walking along a well-worn dirt road. "Excuse me," he said to a cloaked figure, "But do you know the way to Sahasraha's house?" the figure just pointed. "This way? Thank you!" said Link as he headed in the direction the figure had pointed, unaware that the figure was staring after him . . .  
  
Later . . .  
  
"What do you mean he's not here?" Link asked the old woman at the house.  
  
"Well, young man," the woman explained, "When the maidens began to disappear, the rumors began to fly. When Sahasraha heard that the Wizard might be responsible, he said, 'So it has begun,' and disappeared HIMSELF!"  
  
"Do you have any idea where he went?" asked Link.  
  
"I'm sorry," the old woman said, "You know wise men like him . . . they often wonder off without notice in search of enlightenment. If you ask in the village, someone might know where he is . . . if I might ask, why are you looking for him?"  
  
"I need to inquire about the Master Sword," explained Link nervously.  
  
"Master Sword?!" exclaimed the old woman, "I've heard of that legend . . . the ancient scrolls tell of a prosperous people who once inhabited this land . . . they created many powerful weapons and artifacts and hid them throughout Hyrule . . . The Master Sword was their ultimate treasure . . . It's blade was specially tempered to resist evil power, or so I've heard . . . now it is sleeping in the forest known as the Lost Woods!"  
  
As Link was leaving the old woman's house, he heard a voice shout, "Hey! It's HIM!" Link looked up to see the cloaked figure and several dark knights.  
  
"You are under arrest by the order of the King!" shouted one knight.  
  
"GET MOVING!" shouted another one.  
  
"If you think I'm going to come peacefully, you're mad!" shouted Link. "YEOW!" he exclaimed as a mace smashed into a nearby tree and fell on one of the knight's heads.  
  
SWOOSH! The mace swung pass, barely missing him by an inch. Then it flew it him, knocking him off a cliff and down into a pile of leaves.  
  
"Where'd he get to?" asked one.  
  
"Light a torch!" exclaimed another. "Its getting do dark to see anything!"  
  
A young boy was pulling Link meanwhile, through a tunnel. The boy had blond hair and wore a red shirt and a black vest. Soon, Link came to.  
  
"I guess I gave them the slip!" said the boy.  
  
"Who are you kid?" asked Link  
  
Later, the two were in front of a fire under a starry sky. Across from Link was the young boy, sitting cross-legged on a log.  
  
"The old man asked for me to take care of his wife while he was away," the boy explained.  
  
"The old man?!" exclaimed Link. "You mean Sahasraha? Do you know where he is!?"  
  
"Sure do!" said the boy. "My older brother was fighting the soldiers and . . .oops! That's a secret to bad guys!"  
  
"'Look at me!" exclaimed Link, putting on a fake smile. "Do I LOOK like a bad guy?"  
  
Eventually, the boy told him, and Link set off. He traveled through a dark forest and knee-high grass, slid across a narrow cliff ledge, and paddled a giant Lilly pad across a swamp. "I can't believe Sahasraha traveled through this . . ." he commented. " . . .Dark forest, this dangerous cliff . . . and this slimy swamp! How did he do it? He's just a feeble old man!" Soon, he arrived at a huge pyramid that had a long staircase in the center, with gold statues on each side. "This must be it . . . " he said, " . . . The Eastern Palace where he's hiding out . . ." Link took one glance at the steps and groaned, "Not MORE climbing . . .!" After a while, he arrived at the top, where an old man in a red cloak was. "That'd better be him!" Link gasped. Falling to the floor, he groaned, "You're Sahasraha, aren't you . . . ? My name is Link . . .I'm looking for the Master Sword so I can defeat Agahnim and rescue Princess Zelda . . . I heard you know where it is!"  
  
"Yes, I am indeed Sahasraha!" said the man. "But you . . . you are a boy! I can't believe a youngster like you is looking for the Master Sword! Not just anyone can use that mighty blade!"  
  
"Uhh . . . don't judge me by my size," Link groaned, "I MUST find it!" Sahasraha closed his eyes, and stated:  
  
"The Ancient Prophecy says:  
  
'The Hero will come on Cataclysm's Eve,  
  
Bearing three Symbols of Virtue,  
  
The Master Sword he will then retrieve,  
  
Keeping the Knight's line true."  
  
Link fell over on his face.  
  
". . . Three Symbols of Virtue?! What does that mean? Where are they?" he moaned.  
  
"The Symbols are legendary pendants of virtue," Sahasraha told him, holding up a box, and Link fell over again, "I can help you with the Pendant of Courage . . . but finding the remaining two pendants is not a quest to be taken lightly . . . Do you really believe you can accomplish this task, young man?"  
  
"Of course!" shouted Link, "Besides, I promised Zelda! And," he added," I have to bring Agahnim to justice for what he did to my Uncle!!" Silently, Sahasraha opened the box to reveal a brightly glowing amulet. He gave it to Link just as a voice shouted,  
  
"There they are!" the two turned around as a group of dark knights entered. "Hand over the boy, old man!"  
  
"'Such conduct is unbecoming, this place," commented Sahasraha.  
  
"Silence, old fool!" shouted the knight, "We are on the King's business!" and with that, he grabbed Link by the shoulder. To everyone's surprise, Link threw him as easily as a feather. Another Dark knight threw his mace at Link, but then, the pendant began to glow, as white energy went from the pendant to his sword, and made his eyes glow white. Link slashed at the mace, causing it to wrap around the knight holding it. Then, he jumped into the air, and cut the wrapped knight in half. The remaining knights fled in fear, leaving Sahasraha and Link alone.  
  
"So," panted Link, " THIS is the power of the pendant . . . EXCELLENT!" Grabbing the pendant, he shouted, "I will rise to the challenge of the pendants, and with their power, I will destroy you Agahnim!!" 


	3. Book of Mudora

Authoress' Note: Ah, hey everybody. It's been like what, two years since I updated this fic? Well, now I know more story writing techniques, and I found an online copy of this comic so I think I'll start it up again. So . . . enjoy!

Chapter 3: The Book of Mudora

_Charged with heroic energy upon obtaining the Pendant of Courage, the young warrior Link defeated one of Agahnim's mystical knights with a single sword blow. According to the wise man, Sarashala, Link must find two more of the legendary Pendants of Virtue before he can claim the mighty Master Sword that he needs to destroy Agahnim. While Link searches desperately for the pendants, Princess Zelda awaits her fate deep in Agahnim's dungeons. . ._

Hyrule Castle was once a nice place, but when Agahnim took over, it had become a place of fear and foreboding. In the tallest tower, Agahnim himself listened to a report from the knights that had failed to capture Link.

"Do you mean to tell me that the boy has the pendant of courage? And that you weaklings came here without stopping him!" he exclaimed, his voice shaking the walls. The knights only nodded silently, fearfully awaiting their master's punishment. Aghanim turned to face a window, his evil eyes scanning the landscape below.

"I have tried to be merciful to the people of this kingdom," he said, "But those in the knights line . . . _they must be terminated!"_

He turned around to face the trembling knights "I thought that old fool I killed was the last one . . . but that boy may also be of their bloodline! I want you to find him," he shouted, "and leave no stone unturned! And don't come back until you see him breathe his last breath! Is that understood!"

"Yes master!" exclaimed the knight, grateful that they had been spared for the moment.

As they hurried out of the room, Aghanim muttered, "It makes no difference . . . when the moon is full, this world and everything in it shall be ours when I cast the final incantation on Princess Zelda . . ." He smirked. "The prophecy of the legendary hero is nothing but a folktale . . ."

In the dark dungeons, the Princess sat awaiting her fate and hoping for Link's safety . . .

Meanwhile, Link was traveling to Kakariko Village in order to get the location of the next two pendants, when he spotted a plume of dark smoke rising into the sky. Link hurried into town as people rushed past him.

"The House of Books is ablaze!"

"The soldiers must have laid torch to it!"

Link watched as people threw buckets of water onto the inferno. Just then, he felt someone pulling his sleeve. Looking down, he saw the boy from before trying to get his attention.

"Hey aren't you. . . "

You gotta help!" the boy shouted. "The Librarian's trapped inside the fire!"

"WHAT?"

Without hesitation, Link grabbed a bucket of water, poured it over himself, cast it aside (though it ended up on the boy's head) and ran into the burning building.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" The boy toppled over and fell into the bucket. Peering over the edge, he muttered, "I sure hope he know what he's doing!"

After a few tense moments, Link emerged from the inferno, carrying a middle-aged man with him. He smiled and then fell over

Later, everyone was gathered in the Librarian's house.

"But why would they set fire to our library?" he asked.

"Perhaps their target was the Book of Mudora," the old woman suggested.

"What is it?" Link asked curiously.

The Librarian dug out an old, slightly singed book from under his robes.

"This is the Book of Mudora," he said, "We were able to save it from the fire. It is the key to the ancient Hylian language. According to this, the hero will stand in the desert with this book. . ."

"Let me see that!" Link shouted, grabbing the book from the Librarian's hands. His blue eyes skimmed over the pages. "After Sahasrahla gave me the Pendant of Courage," he said, never taking his eyes off the book, "he told me the Pendant of Power was in a desert ruin!"

"Sahasrahla must have confidence to send a boy like you on a mission such as this," the old woman said calmly.

"That must be why the soldiers burned down the library! They were afraid you'd fulfill the prophecy of the legendary hero!" the Librarian added. "Then that makes you . . . the Legendary Hero!" He smiled. "This is a very fortunate turn of events. I will leave the Book in your capable hands!"

"I should warn you that traveling through the desert is no easy task," the old woman added sternly. "The strong winds and shifting sands have buried many a traveler!"

"Hey!" exclaimed the boy. "I just remembered something!" he ran over to a drawer and opened it to pull out something big and white. "Sahasrahla showed it to me," he said. "It's a bird you can ride on!" Link raised an eyebrow.

"A bird that could carry people?" he asked confused.

The Librarian nodded. "It was no ordinary bird! Knights used it in their campaigns to protect the kingdom! They say that the wings belonging to this bird were used to carry knights into battle, and that Hylian sages wove its feathers into those miracle wings! It will surely make your travels to the desert much easier."

Much later, Link was flying over the desert with the help of the wings that worked very much like a glider.

"Ok, where to?" he asked himself. "All I see is sand!"

Suddenly, he spotted a huge shape moving towards him at a very fast pace.

"Uh-oh!"

The huge twister sped towards him, as if trying to stop his adventure.

"Wings don't fail me now!" Link shouted, trying to get away. But it was no use. The twister surrounded him and deposited him on top of a huge stone pillar.

This must be the ruins!" he exclaimed, examining the words craved into the top of the pillar. "And this is ancient Hylian script . . . maybe I really am the legendary hero!"

All of the sudden, the book jumped from his hand like it had a mind of its own, and a beam of light shone from its pages onto the script on top of the pillar, which began to sink into the ground. Out of the sands rose a huge statue of a scorpion. And hanging from the tips of its stinger was . . .

"The Pendant of Power!" Link exclaimed. He jumped off the pillar and ran towards it, but before he could get there, his feet sank into the ground. "HELP!" But there was no one there to save Link as his head disappeared underneath the sands . . .

Suddenly, Link submerged from the sandy depths, and he quickly realized why. He was sitting on the head of a monstrous one-eyed purple centipede that seemed very annoyed to have someone on its head. Link tried to slash at it, but the creature's skin was like armor. With one shake of its head, Link was thrown off its head and onto the tail of the statue. He took this moment to grab the Pendant hanging there and held it up in front of the monster's face.

"Okay," he whispered, "No more Mr. Nice Guy . . ."

To be continued . . .


	4. The Master Sword

Chapter 4: The Master Sword

Even with the Pendant of Power, Link realized that he had no hope of piercing the monster's hard shell. Then, he decided to take a different direction and attack its underside instead. With all his strength, he drove the blade deep into the creature's weak point. The centipede gave out one final cry of pain before it died.

With his enemy destroyed, Link began traveling across the desert. But without the special wings, it was hard going.

"Man!" he exclaimed, "This desert goes on forever!" as he sank to his knees, he looked up and saw. . . "Sahasrahla! Am I glad to see you! I need some water!"

"Finding the next pendant should be your first priority," the old man said sternly. "Head to the Tower of Hera on top of Death Mountain, there you will find the Pendant of Wisdom. The tower is very near . . ." and with that, he was gone.

"It was just a mirage? Ohhhh. . ." moaned Link. He looked up and saw a huge shape looming in the distance. "That must be it. I don't know if I can get that far. . ."

Suddenly, his sword, which he had been dragging on the ground, bit something. He glanced down and saw that a ring with symbols in the middle had been carved into the ground. At the very center was a pyramid made of three triangles. "What's this?"

All of a sudden, a huge beam of blue light shot out from the ground, and two figures, a man and a woman appeared.

"_**Link . . . Link . . ."**_

The boy staggered backwards. "How do you know my name?" he asked nervously.

"**_We are here with our brother . . . in the world of darkness . . ."_** the figures continued, ignoring his question. Suddenly, another form began to take shape, one that he recognized instantly.

"UNCLE!" he exclaimed in shock. "Then you must be my parents!"

The female figure smiled sadly as she extended one hand towards him.

"Mother . . ."

Link reached out with a trembling hand to touch the ghostly figure. His arm penetrated the pillar . . . then without warning, the pillar turned red and Link was sent hurtling backwards. As they boy climbed to his feet, he noticed two things. One: The pillar of light was gone, and two: His arm was now furry and had claws at the fingertips!

(AN: Uh . . . this is part of the reason I wanted to do a novelization of the comic.)

"AHHHHH! WHAT HAPPENED TO MY ARM?" He exclaimed.

"I know why. . ." said a voice. Link looked up to see Sahasrahla looking at him. "You penetrated the gate to the dark realm, a place where your body can be changed to reflect your heart. Sand since your heart was full of negative emotions you were nearly turned into a beast!"

"But Sahasrahla," Link protested, "Agahnim killed my uncle and now he's holding Zelda!"

The old man nodded. "Yes, but hatred can not win alone. Even if you were to succeed, you would be consumed by darkness! Only one force is strong enough to oppose evil and hatred!"

Link paused to reflect on this. Just then, he heard another voice.

"Link?"

The boy looked up to see Princess Zelda smiling at him.

"More illusions! What happened to Sahasrahla!"

"We are in our dream," she replied. "If more than one people dream of the same thing, they will meet."

For some reason, this did not comfort him.

"This is a dream? Dreams . . . mirages . . . it's all so confusing! In fact, it's making me even more exhausted just thinking about it!"

He fell to the ground, and Zelda kneeled beside him and put his head in her lap. For some reason, the background had changed into a field of flowers.

"You must be very tired. You have given us so much hope . . ." she said softly.

"My arm . . . it hurts . . ." Link moaned.

"Please rest, don't worry . . ."

And with that, he fell into a deep sleep.

When he awoke, Link found himself lying on the ground, his sword nearby. "That was a strange dream," he mused, sitting up. Then he noticed that his hand had been completely bandaged up!

"But my arm!" he exclaimed. "Who did this!"

With no answers coming to him, Link decided that the best thing to do was to make his way to the tower. After about an hour of walking, he managed to reach his destination. When he entered the building, the first thing he noticed was the long staircase that spiraled up the inside.

"GROAN! Not more stairs to climb!" he complained. But since he had no choice, Link started climbing the steps that lead to nowhere. "I hate climbing stairs . . ."

After a while, a huge light began to shine brightly.

"That's much better. . ."

Suddenly, Link realized that the 'lights' were actually the eyes of a giant spider!

"What the-!"

The monster jabbed at him with one of its legs, but he dodged it, jumped up, and jammed his sword into of its eyes.

_Hey, I'm getting pretty good at this!_ He thought. Just then, he heard Sahasrahla's voice in his head.

(AN: I have no clue if the brackets are going to show up, so anything in telepathy will be in bold letters)

**Link! The pendant is in the third eye!**

"You gotta be kidding me!" He groaned. Then he looked down, and sure enough, he could make out the image of pendant in there. Link reached down, into the eye, and grabbed the object with his bandaged hand, shuddering at the texture.

_Thank goodness this is the last pendant!_ Link thought to himself. As he drew out the object, he saw that the bandages around his hand were beginning to come off, exposing the mutated hand beneath. But as the final bandages fell away, he realized that his hand was completely normal!

_Wow! _He thought in excitement. Without the pendant, the spider instantly died. Link took this chance to ride it down the center of the tower.

"Good thing I don't have to use the stairs!" he said to himself. As he landed, he heard Sahasrahla's voice again.

**Very good Link! You have recovered all three pendants! Now you must head to the Lost Woods!**

"Aww . . . can't I take a break?"

**No. There is no time!**

Reluctantly, Link exited the tower and headed to the Lost Woods, which happened to be very close by.

**If you are the Legendary Hero of Hyrule,** Sahasrahla told him telepathically, **Then the sword will select you as its bearer!**

"_Select_ me? What does _that_ mean?" asked a confused Link. "And what if it doesn't?"

**Then you will never be able to enter the dark world and find your parents!**The older man replied.

"Are they still alive?" Link asked hopefully.

**Yes, but now they dwell in the dark world. Your parents were knights of Hyrule, but they stumbled into that evil realm. After they disappeared, your uncle took you in and sheltered you from the intrigues of the royal family.**

Then he spotted it. There, sitting in a block of granite, was a well-crafted sword. Silently, Link made his way over to it, and then he reached out to grab the hilt, and pull it out of its pedestal.

Link brandished the weapon and smiled.

Agahnim was going down.

To be continued . . .


	5. An Old Enemy

Chapter 5: An Old Enemy

_The young hero, Link is finally beginning to realize the extent of his destiny after winning the three Pendants of Virtue. With the Master Sword Firmly in hand, all that remains is for him to rescue Princess Zelda! Can Link meet his ultimate challenge?_

Link whistled slightly, as he examined the powerful blade.

_So much power, _he thought in amazement. I_t's like holding a lighting bolt!_

Suddenly, a huge mace crashed through the underbrush, forcing him to leap out of the way. Link looked up as three big knights stomped towards him, malice gleaming in their eyes. The boy only smirked as he lifted his weapon to chest level.

_Looks like I have some time to test this sword out! _He thought.

With a few quick strokes, Link carved up his opponents. As their bodies vanished, Link fell to his knees.

"I…I did it! But I feel tired . . . I have to rest . . ."

**Wake up Link!**

The boy sat up as a familiar voice cut through his mind.

"Zelda!"

The Princess' voice was now fearful.

**There is only one night left, and Agahnim will cast an incantation on me when the moon is full! You must hurry, for if he succeeds, the seal of the wise men will be broken and the gate to the Dark Realm will be opened! Do not forget the sacrifice your uncle made! And your parents . . . do you think it was a mere accident they fell into the Dark Realm?**

Link paused, wondering how she knew about his parents.

**Please! You must stop Agahnim before everything is destroyed!**

Link got to his feet. "Ok," he said, "I'll go. And now that I have the Master Sword, this'll be a piece of cake! I swore I'd kill Agahnim, and that's just what I'm gonna do!"

After a long trek back to Kakariko Village, Link was getting a much-deserved bath after his arduous trip. AT the same time, they were discussing their plans to get to the castle. But it wouldn't be easy.

"So all the paths to the castle are blocked?" asked Link.

"Yep!" the boy replied, lugging a large pail full of water to dump on Link's head. "Even going _near _the castle means certain death!"

"It's a shame the miracle wins were lost in the desert," said the Librarian, "Otherwise you could have just flown there!" He paused to watch the bubbles from Link's bath float around the room. "Then again, maybe we don't need them!"

The Librarian walked over to a desk and pulled out a piece of paper. "A large bubble filled with air can float," he said, "But to do it in one day will be hard work and we need to act fast!"

And so they began to build the balloon, with everyone working hard . . . well okay, _almost _everyone.

"Hey Link!" the boy shouted, "Are you gonna help or what!"

"Sorry," the aforementioned young man replied, "I have to save up all my strength for tonight!"

In the dark tower, Agahnim watched as the moon peeked over the clouds.

"At last! When the full moon reaches the pinnacle of its ascension, then I will cast the final incantation!"

He turned to look at Princess Zelda, who was lying on a stone tablet engraved with mystical symbols, and his mouth turned up in an evil smirk.

Suddenly, his shadow seemed to take a life of its one as it rose off the floor.

_**Agahnim . . .**_

The man started in surprise. "Master Ganon!"

_**Now is the hour of the incantation. You must NOT fail me!**_

Agahnim nodded. "Yes . . . my Lord . . ."

The shadow seemed to freeze for a moment before speaking again. **_I seem to be sensing a being with high emotional power heading towards the castle!_**

Instantly,Agahnim knew who his lord was referring to. "Could it be him?" he wondered. "Well, no matter. If he somehow manages to get here, then I shall send Princess Zelda into the dark world before his very eyes!"

Meanwhile, Link was hovering over the castle walls.

"This is too easy!" he said. "I'm almost halfway there!" He pulled on a chain, and the balloon collapsed around him. "Guess I spoke too soon . . ."

The balloon plummeted downwards, and made a soft landing on top of a parapet. Link scrambled out from underneath . . . and was met by a group of guards.

Link simply slashed them to ribbons, then raced down the steps into the castle and hurried through the winding hallways. Suddenly, he heard someone chanting in a cold and terrible voice . . .

"**_NE-AN-DERU-TAA! CRO-MAN-YOM! CRO-MAN-YOM!"_**

Cautiously, Link stepped into the room and found Agahnim with his arms outstretched and chanting in that cold and terrible voice. And in front of him, a figure was hovering on a column of dark blue smoke.

"ZELDA!" Link gasped. Indeed, the princess' body was buoyed on the cloud as if she was light as a feather. Angrily, Link rushed at the evil sorcerer, but Sahasrahla's voice stopped him.

**Link! Do not put all of your trust in the Master Sword! Even its great power can not harm Agahnim!**

"WHAT!" Link exclaimed in shock.

He tried slashing at Agahnim, but his sword went through him like he was a ghost! The evil man turned to face the young hero and his eyes flashed brightly like a pair of stars. Link tried to move . . . but was startled to find that he couldn't!

"I have been waiting for you, hero," he said coldly, "And now you can watch as your precious Zelda vanishes before your very eyes!" he turned back to the princess. "Behold the Princess' last moments in this world!"

Link could only watch in horror as the smoke turned inky black and engulfed the girl's body. There was a huge burst of dark energy, and when it cleared . . . the Princess was gone!

Chuckling wickedly, Agahnim turned to face Link again. "Now it is only a matter of time before evil conquers this world!" he said, "And evil the legendary 'Hero of Time' is helpless before us, now that we have the power of the Triforce!"

To be continued . . .

Ooh . . . a cliffhanger . . . aren't I an evil one? Well, actually, that's how it goes in the comic, but either way, you won't want to miss out on the next chapter, 'cause things are REALLY gonna get weird!


	6. A Fool in the Shape of a Tree

Ch. 6: A Fool in the Shape of a Tree

The young warrior named Link watched in horror as Princess Zelda's body vanished into thin air. _No! Zelda!_

Cackling madly, Aghnahim turned to him and said, "You have just witnessed the Princess' last moments in this world! And soon you will join her!"

He walked up to Link and grabbed him by the front of his tunic, saying, "And don't even _think _about escaping! My magic has made you like a statue! See what happens when you challenge me?"

Link closed his eyes. _No… It won't end like this! _

The Master Sword began to glow brightly as well as hum softly. Lightning trails shot out from its tip, sending pieces of stone falling down on them.

"Impossible! That puny fool's rage is being channeled by the Master Sword!" Aghnahim exclaimed. Quickly, he turned and ran out a hole in the wall created by the energy coming from the Master Sword's tip.

When he realized he could move, Link ran out after the evil wizard.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE AGHNAHIM!" he shouted.

Sword raised, Link ran towards Aghnahim, who simply attacked with twin energy beams. But Link ran between them, and brought his sword down… only to find that his blade passed right though him!

_Dammit! The Master Sword's not working on him!_ Link thought panicked.

Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through his thoughts. **"_Link! Aghnahim's magic is like a double-edged sword! _**

"What do you mean?" Link asked, dodging another energy burst.

"**_The sword was also forged to repel dark magic!_ _It can be used to defend as well as attack!"_**

Grinning, Link prepared himself for another blow. When the attack came, he held up his sword, and the energy beams stopped in front of it. (AN: That's kinda hard to describe…)

"Aghnahim! Your own magic will be the end of you!" He shouted, and in a single movement, brought the sword down, sending the energy back at the wicked mage.

"NOOOOOOO!"

The energy burst sent Aghnahim sprawling to the ground, with black smoke rising off of his body.

"Ughhh… Well met, Hero," he said slowly, "It seems you're not as much of a fool as I originally thought…but it makes no difference." he raised his head, and Link saw that his face was dry and shriveled, like a corpse's, with hollow pits for eyes. "Heh heh heh… and with my last breath… you will join Zelda…in the Dark World!"

It was only then that Link realized that the sky above him was a deep, endless black void, bereft of stars, and the moon had the face of a skull on it. Around him, the castle crumbled away, forcing the young hero to hurriedly make his way to the safety of solid ground. As soon as his feet hit the grass, he turned around to look at the ruins behind him, sinking his knees in despair.

"Zelda! I failed you again… Who will save you now?" Tears streaked down his face, and hit the ground, leaving small stains. He looked down…and saw that his hands were now covered in fur with claws on the tips!

"OH NO!"

Link struggled to his feet, and reared back, feeling his teeth sharpen, his mouth grow out, and fur cover his skin… (AN: This is my favorite part in the comic. Go figure.)

"My…negative emotions… are making me become a beast!" Link gasped. "I can't surrender to these emotions, or I'll live a beast's life forever!"

Finally, he fell to the ground, gasping for breath as the changes reversed themselves. Slowly, he got up, and checked himself over.

Seeing nothing unusual, Link cautiously climbed down from the remains of the castle and started off into the dark forest that had sprung up around it.

_I'll find you, Zelda! I promise! Even if I have to search the whole Dark World!_

* * *

After about an hour of walking, Link spotted what looked like a shrine situated in a group of trees.

_That looks like a good place to rest…_

Inside the shrine, was a bush-like tree surrounded by four lighted pillars. Link sat against one of the pillars, and closed his eyes…

Suddenly, a thick, deep voice spoke out in his mind. **"You there, did you journey to this world to find the Triforce?" **

"Well," Link mumbled sleepily, "No, but…"

"**Only the first person to touch the Triforce will get great power. This realm was once a golden land where the Triforce was hidden. A thief named Gannondorf accidentally discovered the entrance to the golden realm. When he touched the Triforce, his evil wishes were granted. He gained great power, and turned this world into a land of evil. Many wicked people from your world came here, and were turned into monsters because of their evil thoughts. I was one of them. In order to return this land into the golden realm it once was is to defeat Gannondorf and reclaim the Triforce! Until then, I'll remain… a fool in the shape of a tree…"**

Slowly, Link opened his eyes and glanced at the tree. "…Was I dreaming?" he asked no one in particular. Getting no answer, he got up and continued his journey.

Suddenly, a small ball of light shot out of the woods and zipped past his face. That's when he realized he wasn't alone.

Out of the woods came a huge monster about ten feet tall, with blue skin, blond hair in a ponytail, and a single, bloodshot eye. He wore a tunic that resembled animal skins, and on the belts criss-crossed over his broad chest were rock-like objects.

With him were three creatures wearing armor. One looked like a lizard, another resembled a bird, and the last one seemed similar to a pig.

"Hey kid!" The ogre rumbled, "Did you see a faerie pass through here?"

"I didn't see anything!"

"Yer lyin'! The Lizard-Man shouted angrily. "We want her power, and we want them now!"

"If you won't tell us where the faerie went, then we'll just have to beat it out of ya!" the blue giant roared.

The foursome began to move towards Link, who stepped back, shouting, "Stay away! I'm warning you…"But the beasts kept moving closer. "Okay! I warned you!" Then Link easily took down the monsters with a spinning slash attack!

"Feisty little guy, aren't you?" the ogre grunted. He pulled an object from the belts across his chest, and ran it under his foot before throwing it at Link, who dodged it. When the object hit the ground, it exploded! (AN: In other words, he's using grenades.)

The giant continued his assault, lobbing the objects continuously. Link managed to grab one in mid-flight, and chucked it back at the ogre, and it flew into his open mouth. Link turned and ran just as the ogre exploded with a loud BOOM, sending chunks out meat raining down on the area. (AN: Eww…)

Link slid to a halt, breathing heavily. At that moment, the ball of light from before flew in front of him…

_To be continued…_


End file.
